title: Anti-histone antibodies in the serum of autoimmune MRL and NZB/NZW1 F1 mice.
abstract: Anti-histone antibodies have been reported in a number of human autoimmune diseases, most notably idiopathic and drug-induced lupus erythematosus. In the current study, anti-histone antibody activity was detected using ELISA and electroblotting techniques in sera from autoimmune NZB/W, MRL-lpr, and MRL-(+)/+ mice. Anti-histone activity increased with age, maturing earlier in females, in both NZB/W and MRL-lpr mice. Testosterone treatment decreased anti-histone activity in NZB/W mice and estrogen treatment from 2 weeks of age increased anti-histone activity in MRL-lpr mice, suggesting that gonadal hormones modified the expression of autoantibodies recognizing these protein antigens. Estrogen also increased serum IgG levels in MRL-lpr mice. Sex hormones affected expression of antibodies recognizing soy milk proteins but not ovalbumin in a similar manner. Nitrocellulose Western blots of SDS gels probed with sera from both types of autoimmune mice most often demonstrated reactivity with histone1. Some mice, usually mature females, also recognized histone4, histone3, and histone2.
authors.affiliation: West Virginia University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Morgantown 26506.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Brick
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bathon
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: F X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: O'Sullivan
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: DiBartolomeo
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D005260:Female; D006657:Histones / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D006657:Histones